Abdominal Obesity and the Risk of Esophageal and Gastric Cardia Carcinomas

Abstract

Background: Esophageal adenocarcinoma is rapidly increasing in incidence. Body mass index (BMI) is a risk factor, but its distribution does not reflect the demographic distribution of the cancer (which is highest among White men). Abdominal obesity patterns may explain this discordance, but no studies exist to date. Methods: Nested case-control study within 206,974 members of the Kaiser Permanente multiphasic health checkup cohort; subjects received detailed questionnaires, a standardized examination including BMI and anthropometric measurements, and follow-up of esophageal and cardia cancers using registry data. Results: 101 incident esophageal adenocarcinomas, 105 cardia adenocarcinomas, and 144 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas were detected (BMI data available for all cases; abdominal measurements for a subset). Increasing abdominal diameter was strongly associated with an increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma [odds ratio (OR), 3.47; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.29-9.33; abdominal diameter, z25 versus <20 cm].

A Population-based Case-control Study on Risk Factors for Gastric Cardia Cancer in Rural Areas of Linzhou

“…the risk for esophageal and possibly for gastric cardia cancer (Kubo et al, 2006;Abnet et al, 2008;Corley et al, 2008). However, present study showed high BMI was a protective factor for gastric cardia cancer, which was consistent with the study on North Chinese .…”

Body Mass Index and Risk of Gastric Cancer: A Meta-analysis of a Population with More Than Ten Million from 24 Prospective Studies

“…13]. Unfortunately, several large cohort studies were not included in this meta-analysis (14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25). Moreover, the previous analysis did not explore the effect of important confounders (such as smoking, alcohol use, and physical activity) on the relationship of BMI and gastric cancer.…”

Can weight loss prevent cancer?

“…A significant increase in risk of gastric cardia adenocarcinoma was also found. Subsequent reports have also found increased risk for abdominal fatness, body fatness and oesophageal adenocarcinoma (Kubo and Corley, 2006;Corley et al, 2008). Higher BMI was also associated with gastric cardia adenocarcinomas (Kubo and Corley, 2006), but abdominal fatness was not (Corley et al, 2008).…”